


Clarity

by ChessThiel



Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Interspecies Relationship(s), M/M, No Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-09
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-12 11:50:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2108823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChessThiel/pseuds/ChessThiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Optimus now found it easier to watch while Cade was working and thoroughly distracted, keeping both himself and human from becoming uncomfortable --or at least on his side anyway. He hadn't the faintest idea as to why he enjoyed watching the human, though he would like to know, which made him watch all the more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Cade shifted under the servo layed out across his lap, delving his tools inbetween the digits' joint once again as he cleaned and repaired those wires that had been nicked, being as careful as he could so as to not hurt the bot sitting over him. He was lost in a world of his own for the moment as he welded and patched, making the occasion noise as he finished a repair and moved on to the next tear, which left the Prime able to watch the human without the risk of disturbing him in the process. 

It was hard to watch the man at times, without being caught and having a questioning look thrown his way by said man, which sent the bot into embarrassment and uncharacteristic shyness. Optimus now found it easier to watch while Cade was working and thoroughly distracted, keeping both himself and human from becoming uncomfortable --or at least on his side anyway. He hadn't the faintest idea as to why he enjoyed watching the human, though he would like to know, which made him watch all the more. Blue optics were locked on Cade's working hands and fingers, his sensors registering the touches given to him and his digit twitched when a wire was tugged a bit too hard.

"Shit," Cade muttered to himself, soothing a hand further up the wire and looked up at Optimus with a sheepish grin. "Sorry about that, Optimus,"

Optimus shook his head with the barest trace of a smile, "It is no trouble, Cade, you have nothing to apologize for." He wondered if it was the simple intrigue of humans that he had never truly lost from his spark; the love he found from the few he had become close to never had left, or would ever leave. Every day he remembered the humans that he had met --allies turned to friends, then friends to family-- and it brought both a smile to his face and stab through his spark. All of those brave beings that Optimus had met, ripped away by a war that was never meant for them, yet they had always stayed and fought beside him --one even sacrificing himself to save the Prime. He missed them all desperately and wished with all his spark that there was a way to bring them back, to give them a life once more, but there was nothing. They were gone --all of them-- and the only ones left now of the family, was himself and Bumblebee. However, new ones had entered it, yet Optimus could not help the sudden thought of how long it would be before they joined the rest of his family.

Pushing the bittersweet memories and the painful thoughts to the back of his processors, where they would stay until he was alone, his smile grew as he stared down at Cade. "You are still learning," Optimus rumbled with a chuckle, optics scrunched up from his smile. "And with your prior robotics knowledge and growing Cybertronian, you are doing work that Ratchet would be proud of,"

"Wow that, uh," Cade laughed and scratched the back of his neck as grinned up at Optimus again. "I didn't know him but, that means a lot, thanks." The Prime nodded and Cade took that as a sign to get back to his work, nudging the giant servo and it tilted up and to the side to allow better access to a more hidden wire. Perhaps the reason he watched and felt drawn to Cade was how much the human reminded him of Ratchet. The natural talent that Ratchet had possessed as a medic was reflected by Cade, fingers working almost as quickly as Ratchets' digits once had and with equal passion for what they did. Ratchet would have liked the human --Optimus knew this for sure. 

The two of them would have gotten along well and the medic would have been all too happy to teach Cade all about Cybertronian care and anatomy --as he had once done with Mikaela. Optimus could not help but feel himself out of place while explaining to Cade about their anatomy and how certain repairs were done, knowing that it should be Ratchet answering the man's questions; not him and certainly not Crosshairs, who always had a crude way of explaining things. Optimus frowned and gave his head a rough shake, ridding himself of those thoughts once again and forcing them back, telling them to stay put and away from the forefront of his processors for now. 

"You alright, big guy?" 

The sudden question startled him and his head whipped down to look at Cade, eyes and optics locked for a moment before Optimus gave a nod; a smile appearing upon his face once more for the man. "I apologize, I was in thought and chasing those I would rather not at the moment," the Prime explained with a slight shift, bringing his legs closer in their crossed position. 

"Bad ones?"

"They are unpleasant, yes." Cade gave a nod and dropped the subject. Optimus grateful for that act of respect, he used his free servo to lightly touch Cade's back with a soft smile. The man looking back up from his work to give him the same smile back, having his own hurtful memories he understood and respected Optimus' privacy. Cade laughed and rolled his shoulders, the Prime taking the signal to remove his servo, and the man hunkered back down to finish the repairs, "Now, stop interrupting me, these wires won't fix themselves,"

"And why is that, Cade?"

"It's cosmetic damage and your self repair systems aren't prioritized to it," he stated, now absentmindedly as he got back to work and Optimus had to chuckle as he gave a nod. Cade learned fast too, that would have pleased Ratchet immensely. They lapsed into silence once more as Optimus delved into the puzzle that he had created for himself concerning Cade Yeager, the human himself concentrated at the task at hand and nothing more. It did not take long after that for the cosmetics to be repaired, Cade patting the servo to signal that he was done and he watched as it was lifted off of him to be inspected by its owner. 

Optimus stretched his servo and flexed it, bringing it up close to his face to inspect what Cade had done and could hardly see where the repairs had been done. He looked back to where the man was looking up at him, waiting to be told how he did and Optimus let his smile show that Cade had done well.

"That good you're speechless?" Cade asked with a laugh. "Or that bad?"

"As I have said before, work that Ratchet would have been proud of." Cade grinned at that, patting the leg still crossed in front of him and lifted himself up with a long, hard stretch. He had been sitting down for too long, his legs asleep and he stumbled a bit with a groan of frustration, letting himself fall back against Optimus' leg with a wave of his hand when the Prime reached out to help, "Leg's just asleep, give me a minute," he laughed. Optimus waited patiently with the human pressed to his leg for support, the faint sounds of whirring systems and a humans breathing was all that was heard in the barn. They could hear the occasion drift of conversation from the other autobots, Tessa and Shane over by the house; a sudden laugh from Hound or squawk from Bumblebee. 

"Cade," Optimus said suddenly. "May I ask you a question?"

The man looked back at Optimus, craning his neck up and to the side with a raised brow, shrugging and crossing his arms, "Shoot."

"Why did you help me all those months ago," Optimus asked. "Why did you repair me and hide me, instead of calling my whereabouts in like any other would have?"

"Haven't you asked me that before?"

Optimus frowned, "Yes, and I am asking again."

Silence was given as response and Optimus watched the various expressions flicker across the human's face, not sure on which to settle on until he seemed to stick with one of concentration. He hadn't thought about it before, or not properly at least, and now that he was asked for the why it was throwing him off. The how was easy --pure adrenline and common sense enough to know the bots meant no harm. 'Why' was something completely different. Optimus was right in saying that he could have called it in like he was supposed to and most did, easily avoiding the entire mess they had went through to get here. 

Then the thought occurred to him and he decided he didn't like it. If he had called Optimus in he would have never gotten the chance to get to know the Prime; Tessa would not have a group of giant robotic organisms to look out for her; they would still be living on a couple hundred a month. Nothing would have changed and the thought itself left a bitter taste in Cade's mouth. 

"I really don't know, Optimus," he finally said in a voice laced with defeat, not being able to find an answer for the Prime and he shrugged. "Wish I knew too but, I'm glad I had the common sense to know you weren't bad like they said. Would have missed you, big guy,"

"How did you know I was not as the propaganda had labelled me?" Optimus asked in response, prying for some sort of answer. "You heard my threats as soon as I spoke them, why did you help me?"

The Prime's voice had hardened and Cade sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and dragging it down over his mouth. His leg was fine now, fully awake and ready to go so he pushed himself off of Optimus' leg and picked up the tools he had been using as he made his way back over to the table. Silence fell upon them once more, this time it stretched on much further before Cade gave an exasperated sigh and turned to face Optimus, craning his neck up to look him in the optics. 

"It just never sat right with me, you know?" he said with a wave of his hand at Optimus. "For years you guys were called protectors and everyone loved you, then all of a sudden you were horrible and dangerous? It just didn't feel right, nothing ever does with the government,"

"They are right in saying we are dangerous," Optimus pointed out. "Us being here has brought threats far greater than any your race has faced and dragged many into a war that we brought onto ourselves,"

Cade nodded, "Yeah, and we got through that and I heard a lot of people before me stuck with you guys too." Optics shuttered and Optimus averted his gaze as those before Cade were brought up, the human seeing the mistake he had made and he sighed again --the sound tired. He walked the few steps back to Optimus and placed his hand on the mech's knee, giving it a gentle pat with a smile that matched the touch, "Can I ask you something, Optimus?"

The Prime looked back to Cade, watching him for a moment before he gave a nod to go ahead, releasing tension from his shoulders he hadn't known was there at the change of subject. 

"Why didn't you kill us?" 

Optimus' shoulders jerked back at the question and his optics widened, a few clicks of cybertronian escaping him without realizing before he suddenly became abnormally shy as he answered. "You did not shoot first and were unarmed, you did not show any ill intentions towards me," he said and his optics flicked down to his servos. "I have mixed feelings of your kind now, Cade, I will not deny that fact but, I have never completely lost the fascination I have found for your kind --nor the respect in some cases,"

"It couldn't have been easy trusting me or Tess off the get go,"

"Actually, it was very easy. You are a remarkable being, Cade Yeager, as is your daughter and you had my respect "off the get go," --Optimus smiled-- "You and the human friends I have lost keep my faith in your kind --what little I have left is growing once more."

The two shared a smile that held trust and companionship for the other, Optimus bringing a digit down to rest lightly over the small hand on his leg before they heard a shout from outside the barn and a dull explosion. Cade and Optimus both groaned, their shoulders slumping and Cade began to walk away from Optimus as the mech stood up; joints whirring sharply from sitting down in the same position for so long and he stretched as much as he could in the barn. 

"Hey, Optimus?"

The Prime looked down to the man staring up at him.

"To answer your question, I knew. I don't know how or why, but I just knew you weren't going to hurt us and I knew I wanted to help you," Cade shrugged. "That's the best answer I can give you, Optimus, I don't know what else to say --I just wanted to help and I wanted to learn." 

Watching Cade walk out of the barn, throwing a grin over his shoulder and then pushing the doors open with a loud shout of what the group was up to, Optimus stood silently in the middle of the open area of the barn. Now that he was alone and able to go over their conversation, the Prime began to connect things and piece what he could together, before his optics shuttered in surprise and his head jerked up to stare at the door in which Cade had left from. It had suddenly struck him how similar Cade was to Sam in the loyalty that he possessed, and the thirst and passion for knowledge that Ratchet carried throughout his life. The spirit that Cade had, pushing him forwards no matter the odds, reminded him of Jazz and the man's stubbornness rivalled that of Ironhide's. He had the fierceness that Mikeala had possessed and the loving nature that both Witwicky's parents had held for their own son.

The revelation had been so sudden that he had not realized until now that he had layed a servo over his spark, looking down at it with a studying optic before a soft smile tugged at his lips. Cade Yeager was so like all of those who had fallen beside Optimus and it now made sense to the Prime why he was so drawn to him --why he enjoyed watching him. He could see the medic in him; the fierce solider of both Ironhide and Mikeala; the everlasting loyalty of Sam and the pushing spirit of Jazz. 

Optimus huffed, the smile growing bigger and he shook his head as he began to pick his way around the barn and to the doors, pushing them open and stopping a moment to watch his family laugh and bicker. His optics sought out Cade, who was craning his neck back to scold Crosshairs for detonating the tiny, homemade grenade in the yard, whipping around to Hound when the green mech pinned it on the older one. 

He leaned against the side of the barn to watch the scene unfold instead of taking the stage along with Cade, Optimus laughing quietly to himself with soft optics as he continued to watch his family. Even though he had figured out why he enjoyed watched Cade and felt so drawn to him --after months of wondering-- Optimus felt that there was something else, though he could not quite put his digit on it yet. Perhaps talking with the man more would help Optimus crack this puzzle and he snapped back into focus at the loud groan of anguish from said human, gripping his hair as he found the burn markings on the side of the house.

Finally deciding it was time that he stepped in he wiped the smile from his face, pushing himself off of the barn and the Prime strode forward towards the group, "What seems to be the problem?" he asked and was immediately met with cries of defense and digits jabbing to the fault of another. 

Glancing down at Cade who happened to look up at the same time, the amused smile his lips had once held vanished when the man waved his hand at Optimus to take over. I never had imagined my duty as a Prime to be this, Optimus thought, dissolving disputes between younglings. 

"They're all yours, Optimus!" Cade called back with a laugh and the Prime frowned, shooting Cade a glare which only served in making the man laugh harder.


	2. Chapter 2

"You've gotta be fuckin' kidding me."

Cade shut the fridge door, lips pursed and standing in the middle of the kitchen with his hands on his hips and head turning this way and that, as if taking these scans of the room would somehow reveal a loaf of bread had been there all along. If he had known before hand that having one extra person in the house would completely destroy the hoarded supplies he bought at the supermarket every two weeks, Cade would have kicked Shane out the moment he saw him eating that cup of chocolate pudding. A drug out sigh fell from his lips, dissolving into a groan and his hands came down to rub over his face before anchoring at the back of his neck. His head turned this way and that again, feet shuffling as he spun in a tight and mindless circle to try and spot anything edible on the counters. besides an empty box of pizza with only a few strands of cheese stuck to the cardboard, there was nothing the man could see.

A rough shake of his head and aggravated sigh seemed all that he could now muster in response to his barren kitchen, leaving the room with an air of annoyed acceptance of the fact that he would need to make a trip into town. Lucky for both him and Tessa, Joshua had been insistent on supplying them with funds for bills and the essentials --essentials including Cade's tech equipment to continue his passion in mechanics and robotics. For the first time in a very long time they did not have the slightest worry over money and it felt good, Tessa had been accepted to a college the previous week and Joshua had paid for that as well. 

With such financial stability and the added bonus of their new cybertronian family members, life was good and worry free --for the most part, of course. They were still a family and he was still a father, one that looked after his daughter and worried all too much about her; although not as badly as he once did, he knew she could take care of herself if push came to shove. 

Stepping out onto the porch and looking around, Cade survived who he had at his disposal for grocery duty. Shane had conveniently been called out today for some reason or other, so a little revenge shopping list on Cade's part was out of the question for the younger man. He didn't particularly want to send his daughter, much preferring to keep her home as much as possible before she went away for school and Cade crossed his arms as he continued his search. Off a ways down by the field he could see Crosshairs and Drift sparing, the samurai easily deflecting Crosshairs attacks until the green mech threw himself into Drift, sending them both to the ground in a roll with a loud squawk of surprise from the triplechanger. 

Hound could be seen in alt. mode underneath the shade of trees, no doubt either in recharge or watching the two younger bots fight. Tessa sat on the mech's roof, her legs kicked up behind her and swinging as she studied over her books to get a head start on classes once they started up in the fall. The only other options were Bumblebee, who was in alt. mode on the other side of the house quietly listening to music, or the Prime who stood by the barn doing the same as Hound was with a small smile watching the two mechs fight. 

"Well, looks like I gotta go enlist the big guy," Cade laughed, not wanting to disturb Bumblebee or anyone that was really already occupied with something. Optimus was the only one who was not currently doing something and the mech turned his head as he heard the man approaching, moving off from where he was leaned against the barn and turning to face Cade fully. 

With a sudden clear thought Optimus remembered a time when he had been forced to search the ground to a human approaching or speaking to him, while now it came so easily to the Prime. Once upon a time he would have to turn his head back and forth to find where Sam or Lennox had been speaking to him when they had first met, however, after only a few months of living among the miltary it grew much easier. He now had no troubles with it and could pinpoint where a human was down on the ground and he smiled at the one standing below him, dipping his head in greeting.

"Cade," Optimus rumbled. "Is there something you need of me?"

Cade laughed and scratched the back of his neck, casting his eyes sheepishly down at Optimus' pedes before fixing them back to lock with the Prime's own, "Actually, yeah, you feelin' up for a drive into town?"

An optic ridge quirked upwards at the request and the Prime looked confused, as Cade had only just gone into town a few days ago and it was rare for him to make more than one trip during the same week. The man very much preferred to do all of his shopping at once and Optimus had caught onto this fact rather quickly and --Optimus being Optimus-- the Prime had taken it upon himself to make sure Cade only had to make that one trip. He would make his own internal shopping list of all the things needed to be purchased, in every category of product to make sure Cade got all that he needed.

Optimus had gone with the man last time as well --he usually did unless he was called away-- and they had gotten a rather large supply of food and other products. Nonetheless Optimus began his transformation sequence and popped the driver's side door opened as the last of his plating slid into place, waiting for Cade to climb in, "May I inquire as to why another trip into town is needed?"

"You may," Cade laughed as he hauled himself up into Optimus' alt mode, seating himself comfortably and letting the Prime shut the door. "I'm gonna have to start making Shane bring his own food,"

"Shane?"

"Yeah, that boy is gonna eat me out of house and home, I swear to God he is." Optimus couldn't help the laugh from escaping his vocalizer, the vibrations from said act being felt by the man sitting in his front seat. With a laugh of his own Cade patted the base of Optimus' driver side window and it rolled down to let the man hang out from it, waving his arm above his head for Tessa's attention. "I'm headin' into town, I shouldn't be gone long!"

Tessa's brows narrowed in confusion and she went to get up off from Hound's roof, "Town? You already went in this week!"

"Yeah, well, your Romeo ate all of the dip and left a half eaten bag of chips for us in the pantry," Cade called back before laughing and clapping the edge of Optimus' door and folding his head back inside the cabin. "Keep an eye of the kids while we're gone! Make sure Crosshairs and Drift don't scuff their paint up too badly, we're all out from last time!"  
From Tessa's perch up on Hound's roof Cade could see her head shake with amusement and the grin on her face couldn't help but be shown. She settled down when Hound told her to get back to studying, before Drift decided to come over and start his preaches again, to which the girl giggled at before laying back down in her previous position and reading over the last few lines once more. 

"Love ya, Tess!"

"Love you too, Dad!" Tessa shouted with a half hearted wave as she kept her eyes on her books. Optimus let out a rumbling laugh that passed vibrations through his alt mode once more and Cade joined in again, patting the dashboard in front of him and the Prime took the signal to drive off from the barn. The trip into town was never particularly long, the drive only being ten minutes long, but Cade sometimes wished it was longer --especially now. The drive was always calm and peaceful, something that only he would do with the list from Tessa that gave him time to clear his head and think over all things. Of course, he thought in his barn while fixing or building all those different robotics but, that was different. In there he thought about everything and thought on how to repair and build, his brain always on the go but, out on the road into town was where he didn't have to think. 

He didn't have to think while driving out here, rather he just let his mind go and enjoyed the ride. Now with the autobots here and a part of the family, Cade liked the rides into town even more as they were almost always done with Optimus and the Prime had a certain way of his to keep others comfortable and relaxed.  
"Will we be purchasing what we usually do?"

Cade was startled from the sudden voice around him and he blinked a few times, giving his head a rough shake to bring him back down to earth and sat up in his seat before nodding, "Yeah, basically gotta restock up on everything. There's hardly anything left to make meals with, we need more than a few fruit roll ups, you know?"

"I am aware of the four main food groups that humans require consumption of and, I can say with confidence," Optimus gave a quick laugh. "Fruit roll ups are not part of the pyramid."

When the great peterbuilt truck turned into town it seemed like the entirity of the towns occupants felt it and knew who had just driven onto the streets. Even though seeing the leader of the autobots was not a rare occurance anymore in this little town, no one could help themselves from stopping to stare as he and Cade drove by them. Optimus couldn't help but feel a touch of unease at the stares, still not liking nor used to all the attention from humans as --from years of hiding and being hunted-- the thought of all of them whipping out automatics still plagued the corners of his processors. It would take time to once again be at ease among this race but Optimus was relieved at least, that the world's governments had issued a global statement that their two races were no longer enemies. 

Once the "bad guys", as Bumblebee so accurately insisted on putting it, were eliminated and their hold over the worlds' governments was released actions were immediately took to bring saftey and refuge to the autobots once more. Appreciation could not begin to describe the emotions which Optimus had initally felt, nor what he still felt now for what the governments were doing for them now that things had gone back to what they once were. NEST had been re-established once more, though Optimus and the rest of his autobots had all made the joint agreement to stay with the Yeagers. 

"Optimus, you alright?" The Prime's audios perked up at the sudden question. "You're goin' really slow, are you...?"

"Oh!" Optimus was now registering the impatient beeps behind him and he jerked forward once before driving along smoothly once again at the correct speed limit. "My apologies, Cade, I was lost in thought,"

"It's hard to not be a robot in disguise anymore, isn't it?"

The Prime was silent for a few moments and Cade began to regret saying such a thing when a heavy sigh was heard through the speakers and Optimus, had he been in bipedal mode, would have nodded tiredly, "It is difficult at times to remember that hiding is no longer nessacary and that I will no longer have firearms locked onto my back."

Cade was quiet for almost as long as Optimus was and he stayed that way even as Optimus drove into the parking lot and parked in a far back corner away from the bulk of the other cars, not knowing what to say to comfort his friend or tell him everything was alright now. As the silence stretched onwards and Optimus began to regret what he had said as he mulled it over, fearing that Cade had somehow taken offense to what he had said, the Prime went to apologize when a warm hand was placed over his steering wheel.

"I got your back, Optimus," Cade said gently, yet his voice was firm and with a underlining tone of promise and determination. "We've been through a lot so far and I want you to know I'm here for you, alright?"

The warm touch to his wheel and the kind words sent an unfamiliar jolt through his spark, one that he hadn't felt for a very long time and he was suddenly very glad that he was in alt mode, as his face would certainly be one full of bashfullness and embarrassment. His spark felt warm, along with his entire frame and he hoped Cade did not notice the sudden change in temperature, and he was silent for a long time for the second time that day. 

Hearing those words spoken from Cade brought such a tickling warmth to his spark, where it spread throughout his entire frame and he couldn't help to roll back and forth on his wheels as if he were shuffling his pedes. 

Cade grew worried at the movement combined with Optimus' silence, hoping again that he had not upset the Prime by saying the wrong thing or perhaps the right thing but dug up unpleasant memories while doing so.

"Thank you, Cade Yeager," Optimus said quietly and activated his holoform to sit in the passanger seat, a light smile on its' face for the man.  
The human holoform had brilliant blue eyes, the same color as the Prime's optics, and dark brown hair that was cut cleanly and close to the sides. His hair on top of his head was thicker and wispy bangs fell over his forehead favouring the left side, stopping just above his eyebrow. Optimus' face was a handsome one and one that looked worn without the holoform, and in holoform it was the same. There were faded scars over his face and worry lines in his forehead, along with crinkles around his eyes whenever he smiled --like he was doing now. He had light stubble around coming down from his hairline above his ears and below his nose above his lip, with a practical nose that was neither too big nor too small --as well as his ears.

All in and all Cade liked Optimus' holoform and he could never help but smile when the Prime used it, as it was just hard not to smile when around the bot in general. Optimus placed his holoform's hand on Cade's shoulder, being able to feel the contact made his smile grow and his eyes seemed to brighten, "And I too have "got your back" and will be here to protect both you and your family,"

"Our family, you mean," Cade lifted his hand off from the steering wheel and placed his own hand on Optimus' shoulder, mirroring the action the Prime was giving to him with his own smile. "We're all family, Optimus."

Optimus took a moment to turn his head down to the side, studying the hand that grasped his shoulder and the warmth that admitted from it before his eyes grew soft, as did his smile. He looked back to Cade and raised his other arm to place his hand over Cade's own, grasping it gently and giving it a light squeeze with a nod of agreement.

"Family."

Their smiles changed then, still mirror images but, they held more than what they had just seconds before --something deeper than either of them had felt for another for a long time. Both were unsure of what this was, of what sort of bond they were forming, but neither were particularly concerned as their smiles widened and Cade laughed, "Come on, we don't got all day, let's go get this done!"

Clapping his hand on Optimus' shoulder once before popping the door open, Cade slid out from the truck and stretched, searching around in his pockets for the paper list of groceries while Optimus fizzled into existence beside him. Cade glanced at the man leaning over his shoulder --who in holoform still towered over Cade-- to read the list and he angled it towards the Prime to see better, before handing it to him and making his way over to a stray cart in the middle of the parking lot.  
"We should be able to get through all of this in an hour if we don't get into that healthy argument again,"

Optimus jogged to catch up to Cade, falling into step beside him and arching an eyebrow, grabbing the cart before the man had the chance, "There is no reason to not purchase the healthier alternative," the Prime said and ignored Cade's protests to let him push the cart. "Unlike cybertronians, humans cannot replace an internal organ as quickly and easily as we can so, you should take good care of your body and it's inner workings,"

"The "healthier alternative" kills my taste buds so, you can throw that argument about taking care of my body out the window,"

"And how does it do that, if I may ask?"

Cade grimaced and his face took on one of disgust, "It tastes like shit."

The Prime shook his head with a laugh, giving a nod to some of the people they passed by and a few kids waved up at him to which Optimus returned with one of his own before bringing his full attention back to Cade. One eyebrow arched in question to the man at his side and a huff of laughter escaped him, "I highly doubt it tastes as awful as you describe it," Optimus said with mirth and Cade let out his own bark of laughter.

"You know what?" he said as the automatic doors opened up for them and they entered the store. "When you can eat human food, /then/ you can judge!"  
The two continued to bicker good naturedly back and forth as they shopped through the store, the cart loading up gradually and stopping when the argument over healthier choices was brought up as usual. As Cade finally gave up and pushed both types of the same product in the cart, Optimus laughed and he could feel the warmth in his spark once more when he could see Cade was trying not to laugh as well. Once again, Optimus wondered as to why he was drawn to Cade Yeager like he was, as it couldn't be for the sole reason of how alike he was with his fallen friends.

From the way his spark warmed at the smile directed towards him or the way those lips pressed together tightly to keep from laughing, it seemed his feelings were deeper than just friend. Realization dawned on him and his eyes widened a fraction and his body jerked on its wheels outside in the parking lot, scaring a few people as that happened. He wasn't in love --no, he knew what that felt like very well-- but, he was infatuated. Infatuated and very deeply at that, as it seemed Cade had gotten a hook into his spark and reeled him in before Optimus had even realized. 

"Happy now?"

Optimus looked up to Cade at the man's words, studying him for a moment with a blank expression before he smiled with a nod, then a laugh, "Very."


	3. Chapter 3

The cold and chilly night air slunk through the house, seeping into every matter --living or otherwise-- making it almost in impossible for one to walk across the room without giving themselves borderline frostbite, resulting in a irritable gust of air through a frigid nose. Cade flexed his toes in the hopes of reviving some warmth but was disappointed when the cold clung on, keeping his skin frozen and down deep to the bone, his body curling up tighter underneath the thick blankets he had covered himself up with. 

Even though Joshua had been kind enough to build them a new house --though Cade insisted it on being the same build and interior as his old, just with a bit more technology built into it-- the house was still just that. A house that could still have minor fixer uppers like a malfunctioning dishwasher or a clogged toilet, a broken facet and in this case: a temperamental furnace that couldn't seem to make up its mind on whether to keep them from hypothermia or not. "Guess it made up its mind tonight," Cade said with a sudden burst of speed to sit up, rubbing his eyes and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed with a hiss as his feet touched the floor, feeling as if he were stepping on solid ice. "Fraggin' stupid, piece of scrap furnace..."

Not a thought was given to the cybertronian curses that spilled from his mouth, Cade having already gotten used to the slip of terms that came from him with a constant and normal regularity. It had taken all of the bots by surprise when the human used the curses they did, but it soon made sense from the context of Cade hearing it all the time --primarily from Hound and Crosshairs. Cade used the terms so interchangeably now that he had caught himself asking Tessa for her servo, or thinking in these foreign terms; not caring in the least any-more as the bots found it amusing. 

Flicking his arm back to grab the thick blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders tightly, taking a moment to gather the courage needed to venture forth into the frigid house, Cade stood up and padded quietly over to the door. Even the doorknob was cold and he made a face, turning it quickly and letting the door swing open, pulling the blanket even closer around him as he was hit with a wall of ice cold air. He suddenly felt a jabbing envy for his daughter, who was at college and without a single doubt warm and comfortable, in a bed and building where the heating didn't conk out and there were no snoring autobots outside her window. 

As soon as the thought of a snore-less night passed over Cade's mind a loud snort, that the man now could never mistake for anyone other than Hound, was heard from the compound that had been built for the autobots. The building was large and had one large area for one half combat training, the other weaponry; off to each side were large rooms that Cade had insisted be built for each of the bots, giving them their own room and private space. He had seen the looks of gratitude and after each had spent a night in their own room, had been given many thanks for something that the cybertronians hadn't had in many years --a home. Smiling at the thought and making his way down the hallway, keeping his hand on the stair guardrail as he went to keep himself going in the right direction through the dark, Cade rounded the stair banister and felt around with a frozen foot to make sure it was the first step before beginning his descent. 

When he made it down to the kitchen Cade shivered and had a sudden thought of regret, considering the option to run back upstairs and curl up into a tight ball for warmth instead of facing this borderline Alaska cold. But upon glancing back at the stairs the man wasn't so sure he would make it all the way up without stubbing his frozen toes, waking up in the morning with a bloodied big toe and bruising horribly. 

"Fuckin' christ," he muttered and pulled the blanket tighter around him again at the even lower temperature that surely was impossible for this state to reach, even at this time of year during during the winter time where it would get below freezing, but never this bad that the mans teeth were already chattering. "No, that's not true, Cade," he said to himself, as he made his way over to the sink. "You've never lived a winter in this house without this shit heater breaking on you and now this is just God havin' a good 'ol laugh at you." 

Reaching out for the small kitchen light above the sink with a grumble and flicking it on, squinting against the sudden harshness of light and rearing back with a face scrunched up in displeasure, Cade blinked and squeezed his eyes shut repeatedly to adjust. Once they had and he was able to keep his eyes opened as normal Cade looked out the window, seeing beyond his reflection and the bulbs to the barn and compound beside it, snow falling peacefully down over everything; a light smile on his face pulling up the corners of his lips before shaking his head with a huff of amusement as another snore came from the building.

He shuffled away over to the side where a temperature set was placed in the wall, the light from the sink bulb now illuminating the room enough to see the temperature box and Cade cursed. Reading over the temperature inside the house at a negative fifteen degrees, Cade unconsciously brought his blanket even closer and sunk down into the thick fabric and padding. 

The man stood there staring at the temperature as he thought before it was almost as someone had shoved him into action, bending down to grab his winter boots and slip them on his feet with clumsy, cold fingers that fumbled around the laces before giving up with a frustrated huff. Swinging the door open with a hiss of shock at the cold metal of the doorknob, Cade slammed the door shut behind him to make sure it was shut, then ventured out across the yard through the snow. 

Within the housing building that was built for the team of cybertronains Optimus layed on his side, systems humming quietly and he shifted every few minutes to find more comfort, a blanket draped up around him that --once again-- Joshua had had made for each of them. All the autobots had almost teared up, Optimus and Bumblebee the most as being given a home and these such luxuries had brought them both back to a trip down "Memory Lane Witwicky", as Bumblebee had so fondly called it and it had stuck with the Prime. Often laying here would bring back good memories and happy ones of the NEST base and the family he had had there, all of whom were gone now to join Primus and the humans with their own God. The blankets there had been simple and sand colored, all the same except for the edges which were outlined in the primary colors of each bot. These ones they had now were two of their colors, or one if that is all their paintjob consisted of.

Optimus' was blue with red edges and Bumblebees; yellow and black stripes, like the bumblebee air freshener that he could never bring himself to get rid of. Hound's was a standard military camouflage, to which the older bot loved; Crosshairs' a deep forest green, that contrasted well with the shade of his frame; and Drifts' like Optimus' own blanket, a deep blue but this time with golden edges. 

Reaching his servo over out to the hemming and tracing his digits over it Optimus smiled, feeling the smooth and soft material upon the tips of his digits brought an odd peace to the old Prime, knowing that he finally had a home for good. Of course, there were rogue under the table groups --black market and what not, mostly-- that still hunted them down but, with the government once again able to be on their side and the layers of security installed around the property for once in a long time, Optimus felt safe. He hadn't felt safe since being evicted from NEST as all the, as both Ironhide and Ratchet had always graciously put it, "shit hit the fan" --a phrase now that the Prime had become familiar with all too well.

The sudden hydraulics of the building door was heard and Optimus' audios perked up along with his body, propping himself up on an elbow and sliding the datapad he had been using only a few minutes before underneath the blanket; the game of bejewelled still on pause. Turning up his audios to hear the faint thump of boots on metal Optimus' optics ridges furrowed and he wondered why Cade would be up a this time of night, trudging outside through the snow both on the ground and in the air, that was no doubt keeping it frozen outside along, with the already below freezing temperatures.

As the sound of boots continued closer Optimus turned his audios back down to their default, waiting for the telltale knock that would come thanks to the manners Cade had been taught to have growing up, and the Prime shifted to sit up when the door whooshed open. Optimus froze slightly in astonishment at the knockless entry, as Cade usually always had knocked before keying in the passcode, but seeing the tired look in the humans eyes was the only explanation the Prime needed. 

"Cade?" he asked in a soft voice so as to not startle the man, leaning over to the berth with arm hanging down and servo offered for him to climb up onto. "Could you not sleep?"  
The man shook his head and said nothing, simply climbing up into Optimus' servo and vaguely feeling himself being lifted up. Optimus set him down on the berth, careful to let him slide gently off from his servo and watched as Cade secured his grip on the blanket around him before mumbling something and getting to his feet. "Heater broke in the house," he finally sighed and kicked off his boots, sending them to the floor far below and shuffling over to Optimus. "Woke up freezing my fuckin' ass off."

Optimus watched Cade grip onto what plating wasn't hidden from beneath the blanket and the Prime leaned back, making it easier for the man to haul himself up and onto the Primes broad chassis. A moment was taken to situate himself and his blanket, grumbling about the cold in the house briefly to which the Prime chuckled, before flopping down with a sigh over his larger friends' spark. His body relished in the warmth radiating off of the powerful spark beneath it, soaking in it and absorbing it into his very fingertips as he could feel the cold seeping from him to be replaced by this warmth. 

Spark drumming heavily, pounding within its casing at the closeness to the being of his secret affections, Optimus' optics were wide and blinked owlishly at the more than comfortable Cade Yeager curled up upon his chassis; over his very spark, no less. As the months had flown by since the Prime had realized the nature of his feelings, they had grown stronger and it had become harder to keep them to himself. On more than one occasion Optimus had gone to bring Cade close to his cheek, his equivalent of a hug that could be given with their size difference, and was forced to cover up with the lie that he simply could not hear Cade from his normal height while sitting. 

That, of course, had earned Optimus a thorough audio check-up that gave Cade only perfect results to 100% functionality on the Primes' audios. The Prime had remembered the fearful pounding of his spark at the suspicion coming off from Cade, one eyebrow raised in question and Optimus had not a clue what to do so he had excused himself and gone for a drive. 

More than often Optimus would wonder if he should tell Cade of his feelings, out of respect for the others right to know and the trust they held to each other, and perhaps to find out if the glimmer of hope that his feelings could possibly be returned was a waste of energy or not. He had learned over the years to always hope for something better; something brighter that had to be there over this last steep mountain of horrors. Years of hoping for something better were ingrained into Optimus and now he dared to hope for something /more/. 

"Cade..." Optimus started with a sigh, resting a servo over the human as an extra layer of warmth and security. If there was ever a time to do this and confess his affection and attraction for Cade, it was now while they would be completely uninterrupted or disturbed; alone and no threat of someone else listening in, as the walls had been soundproofed to keep Bumblebee's blasting music inside his room. "There is something that I must tell you and now seems more or less the best time to do it, considering that for once we are not at risk of being interrupted at any given second."

He sighed heavily and stared up at the ceiling, trying to will himself to look down at Cade but he could not, embarrassment and a fear of rejection clouding his manners as he fixed his gaze up in the left hand corner. 

"For some time I had been confused on where my spark was taking me when I looked at you. I had no clue as to which direction I was being pulled in and it puzzled me greatly, until one day I had looked at you and something had clicked," Optimus paused and unconsciously began rubbing a digit up and down Cades back in a soothing motion. "I suddenly understood which direction I was being pulled in and it was towards your own soul."

Optimus finally drew the courage now to look down to Cade where he was curled up on his chassis, needing to say this one phrase while looking in Cades eyes. "Cade Yeager, I--" the Prime stopped mid sentence and his mouth was left open, as he stared down at the sleeping human and the even rise and fall of Cades breathing underneath his servo. With a heavy sigh full of frustration and hopelessness, Optimus let his head fall back against the giant pillow and threw his free arm over his optics with a quiet groan,

"Nevermind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorrysorry this is really late!!! im gonna try and be faster with this stuff though!! again really sorry!!!  
> leave a comment and tell me what u liked or leave a kudo!!! theybothmakemefeelaccomplished


	4. Chapter 4

So many of his friends, those who he considered his family, had fallen and if the Prime were to mourn for each one on their day of deactivation the years would go by in a constant state of misery. It had come to the point that Optimus had chosen a designated day each year, to remember all at once those who had passed on into the Well; to let out every emotion built up over the course of many years. The pain never truly went away, always corroding itself away through Optimus' spark, keeping the wounds always fresh and weighing heavily down upon him. Some days it would be better than others; when he could focus on the happy present that he now had the luck of being part of. On those days the weight wasn't there and everything was right for him, the small tug of sorrow on his spark still there but not as strongly as other days.

The other days were ones that, even with a comforting hug or warble from Bumblebee, nothing could help the old Prime. He sunk into a sadness that it seemed no one could get him out of, except for their new friend Cade or all would be forced to play the waiting game with the older bot --giving him the time and space he needed. Rarely did it take long for Optimus to rid himself of these thoughts during these spontaneous bouts, a quick shake of his head and roll of his shoulders after a couple hours of thought did the trick.   
After one particularly rough day on the Primes' spark did he actually take a look around, at the other bots and how they handled his crumbling resolve. Even with the knowledge that the mech would be fine and alright in only a few moments or hours, Optimus had seen the worry and sadness creep up onto the others as it had him. By just watching him sink into the temporary despair it reminded the rest of the family, of just how much they had lost and made sure they knew all who had perished would never come back. 

With that in mind and after catching Bumblebee crying alone, holding the bumblebee air freshener gingerly in an oversized servo, Optimus had made the decision to hide his own tears from the others. It was on that day watching the younger scout cry, that Optimus chose to mourn all at once for those who had moved on. All year he would bottled up those thoughts and feelings, pushing them back into his spark and shaking it from his processors --until this one day, each year where he let everything free.

Optimus pulled his knees closer to his chassis and wrapped shaking arms around them, curled in on himself as he sat against the back wall of his bedroom. A quiet but distinguishable sob escaped the Primes' vocalizer from where his forehead rested down against his knees; a low grinding sound coming from him quickly afterwards. He could feel the hot coolant tears that had already slipped down his cheeks, staining on dry to his faceplates and a slight steam rose from them. Systems were overheated and overworked, fans working wildly to cool the rapidly heating frame of the older bot as he tried to hold in his cries.

His optics squeezed shut and coolant poured out once more, racing down his cheeks to drip off from his jaw and chin; plopping softly and steaming up from where they landed on his plating. Another grinding sound let the Prime until it cut off with a painful sob, racking his frame and his digits grips onto his legs; leaving dents in the once smooth metal. The pain in his chassis was great beneath his spark, mourning and wishing that he had not been left alone by so many in this war and wishing that this war had not taken so many. At every turn Optimus had watched another friend and comrade be shot down, torn apart and --on occasion-- stomped down into the ground. 

The soft cries and noises echoed off of the rooms walls, making them seem louder than they actually were and Optimus had the brief thought to stop them in case someone heard. But another thought overlapped that one, reminded him that each room had been thoroughly soundproofed and the Prime had never been more thankful for something such as this as he let out a louder cry this time. His voice was choked and hoarse, no restraint held in the sounds of despair dripping from his lips as he clutched at his knees pulled to his chassis; the digits embedded into the sides of his legs acting as an anchor for the old Prime.

"Why did you all leave me?" Optimus asked in a broken whisper, choked with tears and any bot to hear it would surely break down into tears as well. "Why did you all leave me alone to fight this war? Why did y--ou take them Primus?"

Humming slightly to himself a new pop tune he had heard on the radio, not sure exactly what it was but knowing Tessa had listened to it before, Cade rummaged through an old photoalbum up in his closet. He made a noise of triumph when he found the particular album he was looking for and flipped through it, making sure it was the one he thought it was with a smile at the clear affirmative. 

Optimus had asked about "sparkling photographs" of Tessa late last night while Cade had been working, with the Prime watching over him as he usually did during these times. It was no secret in the household that Cade tended to electrocute or burn himself during a new invention or experiment --not anymore, at least. Once Tessa had brought Cade out from the barn one day, fussing over what appeared to be a quiet painful burn on his left arm, Optimus had taken it upon himself to minimize risk. With that said, Optimus could do very little in the way of actually helping Cade except for simply being there in case something happened, so the Prime could take him to Tessa. 

"You've got a protective streak to rival Tess', Optimus," Cade thought to himself with a quiet laugh and slight shake of his head. "I'll give you that credit."

He thumbed through the pages delicately, afraid of crinkling the plastic sleeves of each page or stretching the holes meant for the binding. Page after page that was turned showed smiling photos, some of a toothless Tessa grinning up at the camera or with baby food smeared over her face; riding a tricycle for the first time or holding a baby tooth that had just fallen out. 

Some photos held Tessas' mothers pictures too, holding Tessa tightly and smothering her face with kisses or helping the little girl with something. A familiar pained tugged at Cades chest at the face he once woke up to, the smile that would always be directed at him and the embraces he would be given. He briefly wonder how she felt now, looking down on him as he slowly fell in love with another --though the fact that he was falling in love again was not the issue. The fact that it was another species all together, made of metal and who could transform into a truck, was the issue in which Cade wondered how she felt about this. She had told him herself to move on and find happiness, someone who would make him feel like Cade did her. 

He never thought he'd feel that strongly towards another again and was almost certain of that fact, until he had met Optimus. They had gone through much together and immediately held respect for the other, both of them soldiers in their own ways and knowing what loss was, the two of them had connected over that. Going through what they did afterwards only solidified their bond and a beautiful friendship came forth, making Cade happy behind belief with his life for the first time in a long time. 

Shaking himself out from those thoughts, Cade gathered up the albums in his arms and jumped up to his feet. He leaned forward close to the window, almost tipping over to see if Optimus was in the lawn. When his scan of the yard came up empty in the search for red and blue plating, Cades' eyes flicked towards the compound built for the bots and knew the Prime was more than likely hiding away for some relaxation in his room. 

"Cade? The man jumped as a large face filled the entire windows frame, peering in at him with innocent looking optics and Cade held his chest at his pounding heart. "Bee, how many times? How many /times/, do I need to tell you not to sneak up like that?!"

The yellow scout jerked back the slightest inch and let out a low warble of apology, having the decency to match his face to the tone coming from his vocalizer. "Sorry, Cade," he mumbled and the inventor sighed, running a hand through his hair and then shaking his head. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, but are you alright?"

The man was taken back and surprised by the question, eyebrows furrowing at Bumblebee for a moment and he glanced down to the albums in his arms, "Yeah, why?"

"Your readings fluctuated and showed you were heating up," Bumblebee explained. "You're not sick, are you? Should I get Optimus or...maybe call in town for a doctor?" 

Cade shook his head with a laugh and moved towards the window, folding himself in to squeeze out through the window without dropping all of the photoalbums and the yellow scout offered his servo to the man. He kept it steady while waiting for Cade to step on and when he had sat down --Bumblebee knowing from experience it was usually better if humans sat down first-- he carefully dropped into a crouch, letting Cade slide off from his servo. "So, you're alright?" he asked hesitantly, wanting to make sure the man wasn't coming down with something. "No fever?"

"No, Bee, I don't have a fever," Cade said warmly and patted Bumblebees' pede, looking up to him with a smile. "Thanks for the concern though and the ride. I'm gonna go see Optimus, alright? You guys can behave yourselves while the adults go chat?" A string of protesting warbles and buzzes flew from Bumblebees' voicebox, going back to his comfortable and familiar default of radio clippings and cybertronian dialects. The man patted the scouts' pede one last time, the action friendly and full of warmth, before making his way across the yard over to the compound. 

Optimus' head snapped up at the distinct sound of the heavy entrance door sliding open, listening for the pedesteps from a teammate. He listened and strained, holding in his sobs with a strangling pressure in his chassis before optics widened almost comically in his sudden fear. The echoing sound of boots came from the entrance along with the door closing once more, and Optimus prayed to Primus that Cade wasn't coming towards his room. His face was a complete mess of tears, smeared over his face from where he had desperately tried to hinder the flow and optics bright with the charge running through him.

The state he was in was not one he used anyone to see, especially Cade and Bumblebee.

A knock on his door and Optimus realized he hadn't been paying attention in his frantic attempts to calm down and clean himself up, his frame jerking violently at the sudden knock and he scooted back further into his room. "Optimus?" a voice called from the other side of the door. "I got those photos you wanted to see, you up for a trip up the Yeager family tree?"

The Prime began to panic again and wipe his face off tears, trying to cool his systems with a few quick gasps and work himself down; coolant working double time with his fans to cool his systems. He tried to scramble up to his pedes but lost his footing, falling back against the wall with a heavy thud and broken sob. Fresh tears spilled and flowed in rivets down his face, mouth open in a frown and optic ridges furrowed as another sob tore through his throat. There was no reason to hide this, hide the shame and disgraceful and /fault/, that he would always carry in his spark.The Prime held no right to hide these emotions on this day, acting as if it was not his fault that Ironhide and Ratchet had perished; that Jazz and Sideswipe could not have been prevented. 

It was his fault and always would be --Optimus knew this and it tugged and warped painfully at his spark. He had killed three of his best friends, bots he had known long before the war, and one another that he saw as a son.

The vibrations from the fall inside the room were felt by Cade and he looked down at his feet, then back up before calling out again. "Optimus, are you alright, big guy?" he asked and knocked on the door again, waiting a few seconds for an answering swish of the door, receiving none and concern grew in the pit of his stomach. "I'm comin' in, alright?"

Keying in his passcode on the smaller security pad used for humans, the door swished open as it always did but the sight he held from the room was not one he had ever seen before. Optimus huddled in the corner of his bedroom, legs drawn up to his chassis and servos covering his face as heartwrenching cries and shoulders shook erratically. "Optimus?" Cade called out in a hushed voice, slowly taking a few steps into the room --turning his head only for a split second as the door shut automatically behind him. "Optimus, what's the matter?"

"It--It was my fault that they were ter--minat--ed," 

"Optimus--"

"If I had been quicker or--or more skilled, maybe, I could have saved them?" Optimus looked up to Cade and his face held one of despair, agony that twisted his face along with Cades stomach again. "Maybe, if I--I were /better/ and if I had /stayed/ with them, they would still be alive today! Meanwhile, I get to selfishly live my life now and a good one, at that, while their frames lay scattered somewhere or broken down and experimented on!" 

The last sentence had come out in a hiss of self loathing, optics narrowed and denta gritted as coolant tears continued to pour down his face with no end in sight to them. His own sight was blurry so he could not clearly see the man walking forward tentatively, until a warm hand was settled on a portion of his leg and Optimus blinked down blurringly at Cade. "Keep going," Cade said calmly and hunkered down next to the Primes' leg, leaning back on the slightly warmer plating that was almost hot to the touch. "Let it all out."  
Optimus let out another gut wrenching sob and shifted his legs out slightly to bring his arms down, hugging himself around his waist and hunching over. "It was my trus--trust in Sentinel that killed Ironhide, my best friend and one I always loo--looked up to; if I had insisted on following Jazz instead of listening to his own in--insistence to go alone, he would be alive and not torn in two," --Optimus had to pause to breath, quick breaths that were harsh and ragged before going on-- "If I had gone on that partic--particular mission with Sideswipe, we would not have found his body scattered on the des--desert border!"

Rubbing his hand inbetween a gap of plating over stressed wires, Cade let the photoalbums slide gently onto the floor and got up to walk over to Optimus' hip. Hooking one hand on the Primes' plating and his foot on another part Cade began to haul himself up with a grunt, the climb up onto the Primes' shoulder reminding him of the rock climbing he used to do as a teenager. "I know, that I haven't lost as many friends and family as you have, but I know the guilt and blame you're feeling," Cade explained as he hauled himself up the rest of the way and leaned on the slope of Optimus' shoulder, looking at him and hooking his arms over the plating. "I know you feel like shit, like it's your fault and you could have done something to save them, but you can't think like that, alright?"

"Cade--"

It was Cades turn to cut Optimus off, stretching to get closer to the Prime and gave his cheek a careful yet firm caress; wiping away a trace of coolant with a small smile. "I know you think you could have done something but, when you look back and think about what it was like in the moment...could you actually have prevented it? You can't prevent a war Optimus; one bot can't just do that by themselves."

No answer was given to him and the room was quiet except the whirring fans and hitches of breath from the Prime; the occasional quiet sob escaping him before being cut off with a clamping of his mouth shut. In his processors all logic and rational thought was telling Optimus that Cade was right, that it wasn't the red and blue mechs fault of what had happened to all the members of his family and even bots who had fought along side him. Yet, in his spark, was embedded the deep seated guilt that he hadn't tried hard enough to keep them safe and that --in some way-- it had been his own actions that killed them. His own fault that he had lost so many and now, with another family that he had no wish of losing grip on, Optimus felt tears well up in his optics once more and turned his head slightly towards Cade.

"I do not want to lose my family, Cade," he said miserably, in a voice thick with tears and emotion and a hint of a whimper laced it. "I do not want--want to lose someone again...I do not want to lose Bumblebee or Hound; Crosshairs or Drift; Tessa or Shane or--or you." Optimus' gaze locked with Cades and the electrifying blue of his optics almost sent a jolt down Cades spine, at the sheer intensity of it before he saw the deep sorrow within them.

Cade kept their eyes locked for a few moments, bright blue optics staring into the cross of hazel and green eyes that Optimus had been caught captivating by on so many occasions. The way Optimus had said he did not want to miss Cade in particular made Cades' heart pound, the possibility that the Prime had meant more than what was said sending Cade into reeling excitement and hope. The thought to ask Optimus what he meant --to elaborate on what he had confessed-- drifted across Cades' mind, but the thought of how inappropriate it would be to ask such a question now overwhelmed the other.

"Hey," Cade said softly and splayed his hand just below Optimus' optic with a smile; his hand tiny compared to Optimus' cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, OK?"

The autobot leader shook his head, "You can not say that, when you do not know for certain," he rumbled and his optics appeared sad again --making Cade shake his head at the Prime. 

"I can say that, because I just did. I promise, Optimus," Cade said and leaned back against the slope of Optimus' shoulder, this time turned away and looking up at the ceiling. "I'm not going anywhere without you, big guy. No one is, alright? Now, come on, tell me about Ironhide --you said he liked big cannons and blasters, sounds like my kind of guy."

A laugh choked with tears burst from Optimus and he brought a servo up to wipe away his dying tears, a small grin on his face and he nodded as he began to tell Cade about the family that had passed. The two of them stayed in that room all day, Cade listening to Optimus tell stories of everyone and all the fun they had all had together. Cade listened intently and let Optimus take his time with everything, until the Prime had stopped halting himself to breath every few moments and things seemed well. Somehow it did not surprise Optimus, that with just Cades presence here with him and helping, listening to him and telling him what he desperately had always needed to hear, he had felt immensely better. 

Throughout the conversation they laughed about the stories and Cade drank in the information of those who Optimus still, and always would hold very dearly to the mechs spark. Half way through and if one were to ask the other how and when it had happened, Cade had somehow managed to worm his way over to slide into the gap between shoulder and neck, snuggled warmly and securely against Optimus' cheek. 

The talked until human fell to sleep against the Prime and the Prime fell into recharge against the wall --a small blissful smile on each of their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, terribly sorry for the long wait!!! this is the second last chapter guys so im pretty sure you can all guess whats gonna happen in the last one!!   
> this fic is really short and im sorry about that, BUT i might do another one with them exploring their new relationship if any of you would like that?   
> i dont know why but this chapter took waaaaay longer than any others ive written and itssupershittybut e h sad optimus was fun to write!! hope u all enjoy!! leave a comment and tell me how u liked it?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try and finish this before the new movie, but that's not going to happen... but, I REALLY want to finish this. I haven't written in I don't even know how long, so the writing is bad.. Not like it used to be, worse than before, but I want to finish this! It's really fast paced, I know, but next chapter will be slower and better!
> 
> It's the one story I've always been proud of, and after this chapter there will be one more and MAYBE an epilogue... and if this series is successful enough still, and people want a drabble series? Then I will definitely do that! 
> 
> Anyway! Enjoy!

Two weeks had passed since Cade had found the Cybertronian in the barn, and the embarrassment had only just worn off. It had been long years since anyone had witnessed the Prime cry; Ratchet and Ironhide having been the only ones. It was now difficult to look Cade in the eye, which was all Optimus wanted to do anymore. It was suffering and he felt it deep within his spark.

He felt a cold disappointment in himself for subjecting Cade to what he alone was meant to carry. He was not supposed to burden others with the responsibility of a leader or a Prime, for that matter. With that said, Optimus knew that it had helped, Cade was patient and kind. He did not turn the Cybertronian away or shy from comforting him, and now all he wanted to do was talk to the man. To confess every fear, he had ever carried; every ounce of anger he stored away; the sorrow he felt deep within his spark. No one made his words flow freely as Cade did and, for that, Optimus loved him. 

The love he felt for the human shocked him to his very core with it's intensity. Over the course of a few weeks and the time he and Cade had spent together, his love had only strengthened to an overwhelming emotion. 

The smallest of grins and softest of touches from the man would make his CPU grind to a halt and freeze, making him stumble through his sentences and his spark beat out of his chassis. At times Optimus could feel his spark tugging almost painfully within his chassis towards Cade; as if it were trying to leap from his body to the man. He felt like a youngling again. 

The Prime's own spark felt betrayed by him, he was his own greatest enemy now, and he huffed at the revelation from where he sat shaded underneath a tree, watching the group silently. 

Hound and Crosshairs were yet again trying to explain to Tessa how to make homemade grenades, who had already walked away to the other side of the yard moments ago with a roll of her eyes. The two of them arguing loudly back and forth as one contradicted the other, making Optimus chuckle softly at the makeshift sibling rivalry. Bumblebee sat beside him and looked over at the sound of Optimus' chuckle, beeping at him, "What's so funny?"

Optimus gestured towards the arguing, the soft smile still on his faceplates. "They are still arguing and Tessa has been gone for some time now," he said. "Both of them have not noticed, I am wondering what their reactions will be when they eventually do." 

He let himself laugh again, shaking his helm, and then let out a soft sigh as he eyes drifted over to the building where Cade had gone into hours ago. It was not uncommon for Cade to spend the entire day in his workshop, however, what was uncommon was Optimus not in there with him. Bumblebee knew this and he gave a quizzical look in Optimus' direction. Studying the Prime who hadn't seemed to notice he was being watched by the younger cybertronian. 

Something was going on between the two, but Bumblebee had kept his assumptions and questions to himself. What was Optimus and Cade's business was theirs, but Optimus had been off and avoidant of the human lately and Bumblebee couldn't wait any longer. The bot could see the signs, the looks and the longing between the two; it reminded him of Sam and Mikaela. Then Sam and Carly. 

"Optimus?"

The Prime turned his head towards him, "... Yes, Bumblebee?" 

Bumblebee noticed how reluctant the movement seemed, and he couldn't help but snort. The sound startled Optimus, blinking owlishly at Bumblebee before frowning, now focusing all of his attention onto the bot beside him, "Is something wrong?"

Bumblebee hummed, giving a careful shake of his head and a slow, "No, not /wrong/, but..." He thought for a moment, wondering how to word things correctly without chasing the older bot off. Looking around the area to see who was around them to make sure no one would listen in, Bumblebee looked back at Optimus with a tilt of his head, "I'm just wondering when you're planning on telling Cade how you feel about him ." 

The reaction from the Prime made Bumblebee laugh. 

Optics widening and vocalizer emitting a short burst of static, gears grinding to a halt as Optimus suddenly went rigid, turning his head sharply away from Bumblebee to stare forward. 

"C'mon, Optimus, it's only obvious to me, don't worry..." Bumblebee sighed, rubbing the back of his neck and giving a short huff of laughter. "I'm the one who was around Sam the most, remember that, I know what it looks like when someone's, you know."

He leaned forward in an effort to look at the Prime, his optics furrowed and a sad noise emitted from his vocalizer. A cheap shot to gain Optimus' attention again, not one Bumblebee expected to work, but to his surprise Optimus turned to face him. 

"Bumblebee," Optimus said with a smile. "Cade is a dear friend and I hold him as close to my spark as I do everyone here. As I still do Ironhide and Ratchet, Jazz and Sideswipe, all others that have fallen to this war." 

"... Sure." Bumblebee sighed and stood up with a grunt, stretching his doorwings and arms out. "Don't let Cade hear you say that though. It'll break his spark."  
The very thought of breaking Cade's spark hit Optimus, wincing, he quietly said "His spark can not break if he does not feel the same." 

Bumblebee simply sighed, catching what the Prime had said and kept walking. He worried over his leader and his friend, a figure that he had seen as parental for many years, hoping this time he would allow himself to be a little selfish.

Prime watched the scout join their group of autobots again, back to the comfortable beeps and whirrs, radio clips sprinkled into his speech as he attempted to get in the middle of Hound and Crosshairs. Bumblebee was right, of course, and Optimus knew it. He couldn't keep his feelings to himself, it would weigh too heavily on the burdens he already carried. 

Eventually, it would all become too much for the Prime. 

His spark would become more broken than it already was and though he was strong, Optimus feared he would not be strong enough for this. Not again.

What felt like only a few moments of overthinking turned into two hours for Optimus. He only realized how much time had passed when he heard the barn door sliding open, seeing Cade walking out from the building with a yawn. He checked his clock and was shocked to find it was 5:30. Almost dinner time, Optimus thought. 

Planting his servos on the ground and boosting himself up, Optimus made his way over to Cade who was smiling up at him. "How long have you been sitting over there, big guy?" Cade asked with a laugh, placing his hands on his hips and craning his neck back to look at Optimus. "You're exactly where I left you, please tell me you at least got up and moved around at some point."

Optimus chuckled and stooped down to offer his servo out for Cade. "I have been fighting a millennia long war, I believe I deserve a few hours of down time," the red and blue mech said with a smile, standing up to his full height as soon as Cade was comfortable. 

"I did not see you come out from your workshop all day," Optimus said teasingly. "Am I allowed to lecture you on the importance of exercise?"

Cade laughed. "Alright, okay!" he said. "I'll leave you alone, you deserve the day off, I agree!" 

The human and mech shared a laugh, settling into a comfortable silence as Optimus stood in the middle of the front yard. They listened and watched their family from afar. A misfit family through and through, but a family nonetheless and one that they both cherished. "I can imagine it's nice seeing Bee carefree," Cade said and looked up at Optimus. "Not looking over his shoulder constantly."

"I do that for him plenty," Optimus chuckled. The Prime was quiet for a few moments, still watching the scout as he interacted with everyone. Bumblebee was as carefree as he could ever be now, after witnessing and losing so much. Knowing that nothing was ever truly safe or forever. It pained Optimus to know that the young mech could never be like he should have been. 

He sighed and switched his gaze to Cade, who was watching him in wait. The human knew him well enough that Optimus had more on his mind than what he spoke. "C'mon, you have more to say, you always do," Cade said and Optimus sighed.

"He is relaxed and is surrounded by those who care for him and who can remind him that there is still good in this world, that is what matters," he said and felt Cade pat the metal underneath his hand. Giving Cade a smile Optimus began to walk, mindful of his speed so as to not jostle Cade. 

The walk to the house wasn't far and they walked in silence, until Cade cleared his throat.

"Well, you're right about Bumblebee being surrounded by people who care about him... same with Hound and Crosshairs, Drift... and you, Optimus Prime." Cade glanced at Optimus, clearing his throat again and rubbing the back of his neck with a shrug. "Don't forgot that we're all here for you, too."

Optimus smiled with a chuckle, "I am here for you all as well, Ca--"

"I'm here for you, Optimus." 

He stopped short and stared at Cade. Blinking a few times, feeling a pull at his spark, and a seed of hope blossom within. The way Cade was looking at him, the way it seemed like he was trying to convey so much more than words could, it made him revisit his earlier conversation with Bumblebee. He had believed Cade did not feel the same way, but perhaps he did.

However, perhaps Optimus was looking into things too much. A dangerous thing to do, but what did he have to lose at this point in life? 

Loss of a dear friend, he could deal with. Taking advantage of a dear friend, he could not. 

Gathering what strength he could and realizing how little strength he had in matters of the spark, Optimus said with a smile, "And I am here for you as well, Cade Yaeger... if you have the time, I would like to speak to you in the fields later." The Prime kneeled down to be face to face with the human who stared up at him, speechless. "There is something important I must discuss with you."

Silence stretched between the two for longer than Optimus felt comfortable with and he shifted. Clearing his throat and opening his mouth to create some sort of explanation, Cade stopped him with a sudden, "Nine o'clock would be fine."

The suddenness made Optimus rear back slightly and Cade shuffled his feet, clearing his throat and laughing nervously, gesturing back to the house. "So, you know, no one interrupts," Cade explained quickly. "Whatever you want to say is private if you want to talk about it in the fields so, better to do it when everyone is settled down, right?"

Cade shrugged with a smile, glancing back towards the house with a huff of laughter and started walking backwards towards the steps. "I'll see you later, alright?" he said as he began walking up the stairs sideways, reaching for the door and pulling it open. "Tess will probably want to watch a movie tonight and then I'll come around out to the fields or the shop, wherever you are, I'll be!"

With everything moving so fast all Optimus could do was nod dumbly a few times, before pinching the bridge of his nose to gain back some focus. "Yes, of course," he said, nodding once more. "Of course... I will see you later, Cade."

The human grinned brightly at the Prime before vanishing inside, calling out to Tessa. Optimus stood back up to his full height with his spark pounding in his chassis. He almost feared it would beat out his chassis and he frowned, placing a servo over his spark and turning around. As Optimus began to walk away, the weight of what he was about to do crept into his mind.

If I am going to do this, he thought, I need to rehearse.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hurried through this, it's disjointed and badly paced, I apologize! But, it is finally done and I can finally say that I finished something! I am not overly happy with how this turned out, but I NEEDED to finish it and I hope those who read it can enjoy it as much as the previous chapters!  
> Once I am able, and if there are people still interested in this pairing and my half-ass'd work? I can start a series of little one-shots and drabbles for these two. Domestic things, mostly! 
> 
> But, yeah, thanks for sticking this out with me! I hope you enjoy the wrap up I managed to get out of these two!

It had cooled down now that the sun had vanished from the sky. The moon casting it's light over the house and fields beyond. Even after all these years, it still tugged at Optimus Prime's spark and never failed to bring a smile to his face. The conflict he faced on planet Earth, the sparkache that he had felt for all, and still the moonlight brought a calmness to his spark.

And he needed nothing else than to calm himself.

Optimus sighed and hung his head. He had been sitting out in the fields since he and Cade had spoken hours ago. Hardly moving except for the occasion restless shift.   
It had been eons since he had done something even remotely close to this. He could safely say to himself that this was the most difficult thing he had done. His first love, Elita One, had not been any easier and somehow this second time with Cade was turning out to be even more trying. 

A lover's confession, Optimus thought with a tinge of humor, how the mighty have fallen.

He rubbed his chassis, underneath his spark twisted and tugged in the direction of the house. This feeling had been a near constant and he hasn't a fool. Optimus knew that it meant his spark had found another half; much like it had with Elita. It was not uncommon for one to have more than one sparkmate.

Cade had had a sparkmate at one point. "A wife," Optimus corrected himself out loud. "He had a wife, she passed some years ago... When Tessa was still a child." 

Would she approve of Optimus? He did not know, and did not care to dwell or find out. Optimus was not a selfish mech by any means, but he had let enough happiness be ripped from his grasp over the years. He would not let the what if's cloud his processors now. 

Sensitive audios picked up the sound of the house door opening and closing. Optimus could hear the person walking across the porch and down the steps, the sound disappearing and he knew it was Cade making the journey over to him. His spark sped up at the thought. The closer Cade got, the more Optimus scrambled to make sense of the jumbled confession he had written in his CPU. To put something together so he didn't sound like an overly excited and eager young mech.

He had thought he was long past that point in his life, but time was beginning to tell him otherwise.

Cade could see where Optimus sat in the middle of the field, looking across and up at the moon. Cade was grateful for it being full tonight. It saved him from the trouble of going and digging out a flashlight. 

Lucky for him as well, Optimus was not hard to spot. The hulking figure in the distance, illuminated by moonlight, was a picture of beauty. Not that Cade would admit this to Optimus, not yet, anyway. For now, he admired the frame of his affections as he continued across the field towards him. 

There were so many things that the Prime could be wanting to talk about, the odds of it being about his undying love for Cade were not in the top five. Top ten? Maybe. 'A solid seven,' Cade thought to himself as he stopped beside Optimus. "Nice night, huh?" he said and looked up beside him at the mech. "Not too chilly, we're getting a nice spell of heat during the day so it's easier at night."

"Your electrical bill must have gone down then, yes?" Optimus asked.

Cade shrugged, "A little, not much, but we'll have to get the oil tank filled up soon anyway." 

The two of them lapsed into silence for a moment, before Cade made his way around to stand in front of Optimus. 

"Well, you probably didn't ask me out here to talk about my bills or the weather," Cade said as he sat down. "C'mon, I'm all yours, you've got my attention." 

Optimus watched as Cade got himself comfortable. Legs crossed and neck craned back, looking concerned. The Prime looked more nervous than he ever these past few weeks. His optics seemed to look everywhere but at Cade. 

Something between the two of them seemed to shift suddenly. It felt like it had become colder to Cade and he pulled his jacket tighter around himself. "Optimus... you okay?" Cade asked and swallowed nervously, clearing his throat. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, if, uh... If it's... something really bad or something I did--"

"No!" The sudden outburst made Cade jump. 

A servo came to the back of Optimus' neck as he rubbed it sheepishly, an almost groan escaped his vocalizer as he turned his head away. He closed his optics and sighed, letting a long moment of silence stretch between the two of them.

"No, there is nothing 'bad' or 'wrong'..." another sigh and Optimus opened his optics, looking off to the side. "But, there is something that you must know, Cade, and keep in mind that when I tell you, I do it out of respect for you as a friend."

A slow nod and Cade liked his lips nervously. "Alright..." he said slowly. "Go ahead, then."

Thousands of thoughts, feelings, raced through Optimus all at once. A million ways to tell Cade how much he meant the mech. How Optimus felt sitting by Cade's side while he worked, listening to him talk and tinker throughout the day. The way his spark seemed to soar whenever a smile spread across Cade's face. That whenever the man laughed it warmed him to the core, lifted him up in ways that no one else had in a long time.

He thought of how much he admired and respected Cade. How the man kept going day after day no matter what life threw at him; no matter how it seemed to want him to give up. Cade never gave up, he gave his all in everything and to everyone. Optimus thought about how this extraordinary man had saved him from a junk pile, had helped him find himself again and proved to him that there was still more to life than what had been given. 

That he could still find happiness and as Optimus thought all of these things, they came from his vocalizer as he thought them. Without even realizing. They came as easily as his love for Cade. 

"I love and admire you, your strength and your beauty, inside and out. I have felt love before, only once, but never as strong as I do now and I cannot keep it in any longer." 

"Optimus--"

Optimus put a servo up, "Please, allow me to say what I need." He waited for Cade to nod, before nodding his head in return before continuing. "You have the right to know how I truly feel about you, Cade.

"You have been put through such hardships and you never gave up, have always pushed forward for those around you. You are selfless and brave, I have seen you do anything and everything for those you hold dear. You are a protector and a brillant man.

"You have the right to know that anytime you allow me to accompany you in town, each trip is more cherished than the last. Each time that you smile or laugh, my spark swells with such emotion I fear it will burst..."

He took a moment, pausing in his thoughts to collect them once more.

"You bring me a joy that I thought had been beaten out of me. By every defeat, by every life taken from mine and every life I have taken," he said. "By every betrayal I have faced, I thought there would never be a moment of happiness or joy to be gained from my life again... yet here you are, giving back to me what I thought was lost forever." 

Optimus cast his optics to the side, momentarily wracked with guilt, "If it were not for you finding me in that old theater, I would have wasted away. I had... no desire, I would have rathered my spark fade away than return to the tragedy of war again."

He felt a small, warm hand reach out to touch his leg and he drew in another breath before the Prime continued on and looked down at Cade.

"For a long while, I have felt these emotions... not as strongly as I do now, but I did, and they puzzled me. I did not know why I felt lighter around you, not to the extent that I did. I wondered if it were just that I have not had a friend like you in many years, not since Ironhide had returned to Primus and since Ratchet and I had been split up... 

"I thought that it was my elation over having found someone that I could connect with like I did them which, to a certain extent, is true," Optimus smiled and reached his servo down towards Cade, who met him half way and placed his hand on a digit. "I have found a most dear and trusted friend in you, Cade, but I feel much more."

Finally seeing the end of his long-winded confession, knowing that there was no more for him to say, Optimus's voice soften. He became hesitant. "Cade, I can see you in complete clarity," he said, the emotion in the Prime's voice made Cade's chest tighten. "I see now that whenever my spark lights up for you, it is because you are my spark. You are my joy, what and who I long for, the being that I adore and would do anything for. I would go to the ends of the universe for you and beyond, as a lover or a friend... whichever you may choose."

Optimus smiled, "I am in love with you, Cade Yeager, and I would be honored if you would allow me to take you out for dinner this Friday night."

The confession had Cade's heart pounding a mile a minute. His eyes wide and body frozen as he stared up at the mech smiling down at him. He had hoped this is what Optimus had wanted to tell him; to talk to him about. Cade had hoped that he would have a second chance at love, a chance with Optimus Prime, and now the mech had all but proposed to him and his mind drew a blank. 

'What do I say?', he thought, 'I should be saying that I feel the same way. That I think about him every second, that I love him too, that he's a big sap.'

Cade could have said a number of things if he had time to think about it. But the longer he sat there staring at Optimus, the more Optimus began to fidget and pull his servo back onto his lap. Cade watched as Optimus went to open his mouth, obviously to apologize and try to put the whole thing behind them. 'To try and save our friendship, of course,' Cade thought.

There were a number of things he could have said, anything sappy and sweet, but instead he said the first thing that came to mind.

"You can't eat the food though," he was given a startled look from Optimus and so he continued. "Why would we go out for dinner if you can't eat the food? That seems a bit... I mean, like, leaving you out, doesn't it? What? Would you just sit there and watch me eat, c'mon, Optimus... no, we can't go out for dinner..."

The Prime's face fell, his optics avoiding looking at Cade and he nodded, servos moving backwards to plant on the ground to boost himself up. "I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable, with my--"

"You haven't!"

Now it was Optimus's turn to be startled. He was getting the feeling Cade had more to point out than just his error in date locale, so Optimus relaxed back to the position he was in before. Forearms resting on his knees, legs crossed. 

Watching the Prime relax, Cade mirrored Optimus's earlier gesture. Rubbing the back of his neck with an almost giddy laugh, "No, Christ, Optimus, you haven't made me uncomfortable." 

He grinned sheepishly up at Optimus. 

"I love you too, Optimus, really, I do, you just," he laughed. "I wasn't expecting for you to feel the same, you know? I just-- You threw me for a loop, I said the first thing that came to mind."

Optimus smiled, optics brighter than ever before and his spark pounded, "Ah, I understand."

"Of course, you do. You understand that you fell in love in love with a rambling idiot." Optimus chuckled and shook his head. "Not an idiot," he said. "A brilliantly gifted, talented man who I could listen to his theories for hours on end."

A chuckle came from Cade and the two of them lapsed into silence. Optimus smiling down at the man in front of him. The hope that he held in his spark now confirmed, quenching the painful ache in his chassis and replacing it with a peaceful calm and warmth. "How about we go to a drive-in theater?" Cade suggested with a shrug. "You mentioned once wanting to go to one again, we've never gotten the chance, so how about we go this Friday? After dinner, of course."

Optimus chuckled, offering his servo out flat for Cade to climb onto, "Yes, after dinner, of course." 

Standing up and climbing onto the offered servo, Cade put his arms out to steady himself as he was brought up to eye level with Optimus. He gave the mech a smile to which Optimus returned; the smile soft and optics adoring. 

Cade leaned forward to rest a hand on the bridge of Optimus's nose, chuckling at the other's reaction. The Prime's optics had closed and a soft, content sigh followed as his entire body relaxed. Every tense cable seeming to release at once and he allowed his back to slump forward. 

The warmth of Cade's hand making Optimus let out a low, rumbling hum of pleasure at the contact. "You're just a big sap, aren't you?" Cade murmured, chuckling when Optimus hummed again. "A big 'ol softy..."

"A well known fact, yes," Optimus said with a smile.

Lifting his other arm towards Optimus, Cade gently placed his hand on Optimus's bottom lip. Feeling the warm and smooth metal under his hand for a moment, before looking back at the closed optics. "You're sure you want an old man like me?" he asked. "I won't be around as long as you, you know..."

Cade felt the heavy gust of air as Optimus sighed, lips parting, and the mech nodded. "I am aware of your age and species mortality, but I do not want fear to rule our choices..." his mouth curling into a small, sad smile. 

His optics opened to look at Cade. 

"I will make the years count, Cade Yeager," he said solemly. "I will cherish every moment we have together, always be your side, you have my word."

A smile tugged at Cade's own lips as he leaned forward to press a kiss to the warm metal in front of him; just to the corner of Prime's own lips. The kiss lingered and Optimus relished the contact that made his spark flip within it's chamber. His engine being brought to life with a low, pleasant rumble and he chuckled.

"You forget, Cade, that I am old as well," he said with a happier smile than before. "Old and in love, more than ready to settle down."

"Well, good, so am I."

Without a word Optimus brought Cade higher and carefully leaned his head forward. A smile appeared once more on Cade's face as he understood what Optimus was doing and he met the mech half way. The two of them gently touching foreheads, the size difference more noticeable than ever. They both laughed quietly and Cade's hands rested once again on the warm metal of Optimus's face. 

"Look at us," he said in a hushed tone, trying to contain laughter. "People are gonna have a field day with this, they're gonna talk."

Optimus hummed and brought his free servo up to gently press Cade closer to his face, curling his servo around his lover's warm body. "They always do, don't they?" he rumbled with a smile. "Let them talk and have their fun, as I am sure we will have our own."

Cade jerked back, staring at the mech who gave a wink and a sly half-grin that Cade hadn't even been aware the Prime was capable of. 

Loud and sudden laughter erupted from Cade, his head thrown back, and face split into a huge grin, and out in that field Optimus Prime joined him. Their loud, happy laughter could be heard faintly from where Tess sat in the living room. She looked up at the noise with a smile on her face before shaking her head and looking back at the television. 

"About damn time."


End file.
